Each in your order, and in order cease.'

Then to the tallest of the scholars turned,

Who spake, 'Thus saith my God, there is no peace Unto the wicked.'*

So the shadow fell

Deeper upon the apostate's soul. 'Ah! well,
Thou second scholar,' said Meir, with his rod
Pointing. He answered, 'Master, thus saith God,
Why dost thou preach my laws, and wherefore take
My statutes in thy mouth, my law to break,
And cast my words behind thee?' +

Then a moan

Escaped him standing on the threshold stone,
And Meir who heard it, with a faltering hand
Marked out a third. Then answered him the boy:
'False tongue that speakest lies, God shall destroy
Thee from thy dwelling! from the living land.

Shall root thee out!' +

A loud and bitter cry

Burst from the apostate, and with haggard eye,
And staggering feet, he turned him feebly round
To leave, and caught the doorpost,-to the ground

* Is. lvii. 21.

+ Ps. 1. 16.

Ps. lii. 5, 6.

Else had he fallen.

Then a little child

Came bounding up-the youngest boy-and smiled
And said: 'I know my lesson, master; let me run
Forth to the butterflies, the flowers, the sun!'
And so to Acher, in a chanted strain,

Repeated timidly, with bated breath:

'He bringeth to destruction. Then He saith, Children of men, I bid you-TURN AGAIN!' *

Lo! when these words sank down on Acher's ears,
Forth from his heart leaped up a rush of tears,
And stretching forth his hands, as he did yearn
For something, with a glitter on his cheek,
Sobbing, and struggling in distress to speak,
Gasped forth at last—' I will, I will return!'

Then unto him went Meir, and whispered low: 'Elisha ben Abuja, do not go ;

66

'Tarry this night, and it shall be at morn,

That He who is thy kinsman shall for thee

Accomplish what thou wilt, and set thee free,

As the Lord liveth! Lie thee down till dawn.”' †

+ Ruth iii. 13.

* Ps. xc. 3.

And so, Elisha, with his hands outspread

Towards the ruined temple, fell.

Into the sun—

His task accomplished—had the scholar run, Leaving Elisha on the threshold dead.

POPE BONIFACE VIII. (3)

POPE BONIFACE with folded arms was pacing in the

court,

With furrowed brows and knitted lips, and spirit steeped

in thought;

He scarcely gave attention to the droning of the talk
Of prelate, prince, and cardinal accompanying his walk.
They told of bitter rivalry in politics and wealth
Between the faction Ghibeline and faction of the Guelf;
How there was discord gathering, how enmity was rife,
How one side egged the other on to overt acts of strife;
How bitter words of mockery were bandied to and fro,
And each was burning with desire to smite the mortal
blow,

And night and day incessantly, there sped some precious

life,

Sent forth, before God summoned it, by hired assassin's

knife;

How from the sacred judgment hall had justice taken

flight,

For there was judgment only given by party, not by

right.

A Cardinal Archbishop spoke. 'Pray Heaven from our land

Will root the trait'rous Ghibeline with all his murd'rous

band,

And all his perjured judges too, and all his craft and stealth!'

'Out on thee!' roared a nobleman; 'the traitor is the

Guelf.

The Guelf is ever spattering with blood the Italian soil,
Is robbing honest peasants of the object of their toil,
Is violating sacred fanes, is ruining all trade,
Save that of the stilletto, mind! and that is rarely paid.'
'Now silence!' cried the Cardinal, with fiercely kindled

eye;

'Back in thy throat, fell Ghibeline! I hurl that damnèd

lie.'

'A lie! Ha, ha! Your excellence, who hatch the lies yourself!

If men would find rare liars, they must search the ranks

of Guelf.'